Atalanta and Argentina have been handed a boost with the return of Jose Luis Palomino following a positive doping test result on July 26 last year, now being cleared by National Anti-Doping Tribunal (NADO).
He will now be able to return to full training at Centro Bortolotti in Zingonia with his teammates for the first time this season – after three-and-a-half months of forced absence.
He spoke to the official website of Atalanta and shared his happiness at returning back to playing ways.
“I’m ecstatically relieved! I placed my utmost trust in the course of justice and my sole concern at the moment is to resume training with my teammates,” he said.
PALO ??
? https://t.co/cR2OmHksyj#Palomino #GoAtalantaGo pic.twitter.com/DOwmkiZeOk
— Atalanta B.C. (@Atalanta_BC) November 7, 2022
On eve of the match against Napoli, coach Gian Piero Gasperini reaffirmed his confidence in the center-back.
“I hope in common sense, a player like him who has never been involved in anything does not deserve to finish his career with this label.”
He tested positive for Nandrolone – an anabolic steroid banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency – in July 2021, before turning positive again for a new sample last August.
The 32-year-old Argentinian was acquitted of any charges over the weekend.